Tool for applying wire-tightening clips



Jan. 20, 1931. s, ALKE 1,789,891

TOOL FOR APPLYING WIRE TGHTENING CLIPS Filed Jan. 26, 1929 guuewfoc v dumm Patented Jan. 20, 1931 PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN ALKE, on NEW RICHMOND-,OHIO

TOOL FOR A PLYING WIRE-QTJIGHTENING oi rs Application filed January as, 1929. Serial no. 335,338.

This invention relates to ,a wire tightening implement whereby simple and inexpensive clips may be effectively manipulated for receiving and retaining a necessary amount of r, slack from a wire.

Another object is to provide an implement for manipulating'a device of this kind so that the device may be made small, inconspicuous and inexpensive.

"m I These and other objects are attained by the means desc'ribedhere'in, and disclosed in the,

accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wire tightener of the inventlon in an operat ve position 15 on a strand of wire. 7

Fig. 2 isa perspective view ofthe device i an operative position, and having a leg thereof bent fromits original position to engage the tightened wire.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the device of the invention in the initial or beginning position and having the manipulating tool in operative position. v

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view ofoneform of the manipulating tool.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 55 of 3. The wire tightener of the present invention is adapted for use upon single strands ofwire of any kind which is stretched between spaced '30 objects, for example, as in wirefences. The

tightener is alsoadapted-for use in tightening woven wire fences'or wire mesh which is mounted in'the usual way for practically all purposes. For the sake of clarity the device 3 is illustrated in the accompanying drawings From the end of the arm Seirtendsa leg 10.,

which is disposed substantially in alignment with a common diameter 'ofsaid arms, and, which is furthermore, substantially at right angles to the arm 8. At the free end of the leg 10 is an integral hook 11 which lies in a 5 plane substantially at right angles to the plane in which the arms 7 and 8 and leg 10 are disposed.

The device is applied by initially disposing the body of aslack wire such as 12 between the arms 7 and 8 and then turning the ti'ghtener about an imaginary axis which may be parallel to the axis of the leg 8. 'The direction of turning or rotation would be in a clockwise direction when the device is formed 5 V as shown in Fig. 1. The slack wire is thus wrapped around the exterior of the legs 7 and 8, andjas it tightens, it produces a tension which urges the device in the opposite direction. When the wire is suliiciently taut the hook 11 is engaged upon the body of the wire 12 and the wire is retained in a tensioned condition. If the device weremade large and the leg 10 were made long, it would be possible to apply the device by hand with a reasonable 7 degree of success. An important object of theinvention, however, is to provide a small, inexpensive and inconspicuous device. To facilitate the application of a small device,

there is provided a tool, the characteristic structure of which is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The tool shown is useful in applying the smalland inexpensive clip ortightener, and has the further advantage, of makingv possible 'a uniform tensioning of. a number of'so wires regardless of the angularity of leg 10 to the line of the wire to be tightened at the time this uniform tension is attained. The tool is arranged to-permitthe unitormtension to be attained and to then bendthe leg i 10 closely adjacent its point of juncture with g the arm 8, so that it may be securedrby the hook 11 to the wire. This is'graphically presented in Fig. 2, wherein the leg 10 is shown in f u11 1ines as being bent sethat the hook 1 1. 9

may engage the wire 12. The normal position (prior to binding) of the leg 10 and hook 11 is shown in dotted lines. The tool consists essentially of a base 13, adjacent one end of which, is a suitable stop lugv 14 which may be of any suitable form that will provide an overhanging face 15. In the present embodiment the lug is formed of a headed stud rigidly secured adjacent the end of body 13. It will be understood that the lug, however, may comprise an integral inclined member struck from the body 13 if desired. This lug may likewise take any other form which will provide a notch or inclined face beneath which the leg 10 of the fastenermay engage. Adjacent the opposite end of plate 13 is a revolubly mounted block 16, mounted on or made integral with a stud 17. The nut or other fastening means 13 holds the device in .a freely revoluble connection on the base 13. In its simplest construction an oversized bore is provided in therbase 13 and the stud 17 fits loosely therein. The block 16 is preferably, but not necessarily cylindrical, and has a pair of diametrically opposed slots 19, in which may seat the ends of arms 7 and 8. Any form of handle may be rigidly mounted to base 13 on the side opposite the block and stop lug. The handle may comprise a shank 20 with an elongatedT bar 21. This bar may be further supplemented with grips 22. The shape of the handle, however, may take any one of a great number of forms since its primary function is to provide for ample leverage for turning the base 13.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 it will he noted that a wire 12 which is to be tightened, has the tightener or clip mounted thereover with the legs '7 and 8 astradle the wire and inserted into the slots 19 in block 16. The block is turned until the leg 10 extends longitudinally across the base 13 and abuts stop lug 1 1 on the side facing the direction in which the tightener is to be turned. The direction of turning is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 3. With the parts in position, as described, and as shown in 3, the base 13 is turned by means of the. handle structure whereupon the tighteneris also turned so that the wire 12 will first abut relatively opposite sides of arms 7 and 8, whereupon further turning of the device will bend the wire 12 around legs 7 and 8 until the wire 12assumes'an 8 curve. Further turning of the clip into the plane in which it was initially disposed will, take up more of the slack in the wire 12 and wrap it about the exterior of the arms 7" and 8. 'By this time there is built up a counter-force opposing rotation of the fastener due to the tension of the wire. \Vhenever this tension is sufficient, the tool is tilted sufliciently to engage the hook 11 on the body of the wire 12, whereupon the tool may be removed. and the wire will'be heldtaut' with the tightener in position. In such instances as may find the wire 12 sufficiently tight when the leg 10 is extending at a considerable angle to the wire 12, further force applied on the tool will result in movement of the leg 10 by the lug 14, but the block 16 will pivot in the base 13 so that the force applied by the operator and the counter-force or tension in the wire will all be concentrated upon the leg 10 at a point 23 just outside the block 16 in which leg 8 is confined. The force of the leverage on the tool will, therefore, bend the leg 10 at 23 until it has been moved slightly beneath the Wire 12, thus enabling the operator to engage hook 11 on wire 12.

"IVhat is claimed is:

A. tool for applying tightening and holding clips for slack wire comprising a base, a block rotatably mounted on the base, said block being recessed to receive one end of a bendable clip, a lug on the base for engagement with the other end of said clip, and a handle means for turning the base whereby slack wire passing through such clip maybe wound about one end of the clip.

2. A tool for applying wire tightening clips comprising a base adapted for end turning-movement, a notched block rotatably mounted thereon and a fixed lug on the base spaced-from the block, the notches in the block being substantially parallel and on 01)- posite sides of theaxis of rotation of the block.

3. A tool "for applying wire tightening clips of the class described, said tool comprising an elongated base, a rotatable block mounted on a face of said base, said block being provided with seats for receiving a'pair of arms of a wire tightening clip, and a lug on said face of the base at a distance from the block for abutting a projecting portion of the wire tightening clip, said tool being adapted when operativelyassociated with a slack wire and a wire tightening clip to be turned end for end to wind slack wire about the clip and, uponsufficient tensioning of the slack wire to be further turned for bending said projecting portion of the clip at a point adj acent' the block for engaging the free end of the clip upon the tensioned wire without additional strain upon said tensioned wire.

end, a stud rota-tablein the bore, a' block fixed 1 to the stud and having seats in itsouter surface disposed diametrically on the opposite sides of the axis of the'studa fixed lug spaced from the block and on'the'samdface of the base as said block and offset handle means to effect end for end turning of the base.

6. In a hand tool of the class described the combination of a block having seats there'- in and a. 111g spaced from the block and means for mounting said block and lug whereby the block and lug may be revolved about an intermediate axis and the block may be retated upon its own axis. 7

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name this 23rd day of January,

STEPHEN ALKE. 

